Aahara Niyamam – Food Prescriptions for a Srivaishnava

1) Food that is not brought into the house legitimately through the main door has to be avoided.

Comment: Here, swami is referring to smuggled food items that are usually brought into the house through the back door.

2) Food grains mixed with varagu (millet) to be avoided. That is, millet has to be separated out before boiling rice.

Comment: This recommendation does not hold good for our times where we no longer need to separate paddy from the chaff.

3) Food that has been rendered impure by saliva emanating even from one’s own mouth is to be avoided. Also, if one has over-stuffed his mouth with food, the food that is taken out should not be consumed again.

Comment: This essentially means “எச்சில் பண்ணுதல்” is ruled out.

4) Food that has caught the eyeballs of a cruel, unworthy man should not be consumed.

Comment: This essentially means that we should consume food preferably in our home premises as much as possible.

5) Food that is contaminated by coming into contact with clothes, someone’s sneeze etc. are to be avoided.

Comment: This essentially means that the food that spills on to our clothes should not be consumed again.

6) Food that has met the eyeballs of a dog (including all animals) or is adulterated by the saliva of a dog (including all animals/birds) is to be avoided.

7) Food cooked on fasting days like that of Ekadesi has to be avoided.

Comment: Swami emphasizes that upholding Ekadesi fast is a must for a Srivaishnava. No cooking should happen on this day, save the consumption of milk and fruits that need not be cooked before consumption.

8) Food that has come in contact with people having contagious diseases like leprosy is to be avoided.

9) Food that is not served with a kind, generous intention is to be avoided.

Comment: Intention is very important in food preparation and consumption. Food consumed will fail to fulfill its primary purpose of energizing us if the intention with which it is prepared/served is not good.

10) Food that has been contaminated by the presence of flies, worms, hair, nails are to be avoided.

11) Food that is borrowed from a sanyasi and food that has come in contact with a sanyasi’s vessel is to be avoided.

37) Food items that have been cooked in heat without the addition of water, fruits that ripe naturally (and not by artificial methods), boiled rice (புழுங்கல் அரிசி*), vadaam (வடாம்), appam (அப்பம்), seedai (சீடை), thenkuzhal (தேன்குழல்), milk derivatives like thiratti paal (திரட்டிப்பால்), etc. can be consumed even if they have gone beyond their use-by date.

38) Foods that recommended for avoidance above are allowed for consumption under life-threatening circumstances.

* – The boiled rice mentioned here is not the one that is bought from outside. In earlier days, people used to boil rice themselves at home.

Also, cooked rice from the previous night, when stored in clean water (பழையது/பழைய சாதம்) can be consumed.